


Prior Experience

by NiennaNir



Category: Kyou Kara Maou!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-27
Updated: 2013-01-27
Packaged: 2017-11-27 01:38:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/656581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiennaNir/pseuds/NiennaNir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five year old Ken Murata is demonstrating some alarming behavior, even for a boy his age. His worried parents seek the advice of a specialist, with interesting results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prior Experience

"You came highly recommended by one of my husband's friends," Ken watched his shoes swing back and forth over the speckled tile floor as he listened to his mother speaking to the doctor behind the door. His laces danced as his blue trainers moved through the air and he furrowed his brow, biting his lower lip. If he concentrated hard enough he could just make out what they were saying. "We're very concerned about his behavior." 

"I specialize in pediatric psychology Mrs. Murata," The doctor insisted. "I see many cases like this every year, it's really not uncommon for small children to have adjustment issues."

"If you're not interested in any of our toys would you like me to help you find a book?" Ken looked up at the nurse behind the reception desk. She gave him a warm, friendly smile and he shook his head, struggling not to glare at her. She'd been trying to make him more comfortable from the moment they'd entered the office, handing him crayons and rattling off the extraordinary selection of amusements they had, trying to coax him into playing. He really wished she'd stop. She was making it impossible to listen in.

"The stories have only become more outlandish," his mother was complaining. "Dragons, monsters, magic, all manner of nonsense. It wouldn't be so distressing if he didn't insist that these stories he's creating were actually true! He got into a fight with a classmate last week, none of the other children will socialize with him now."

"I suspect he's having difficulties separating fantasy from reality," the doctor replied. Ken frowned. There was something familiar about his voice, what he could hear of it through the door, but he couldn't place it. He sighed, resting his head against the wall. "Why don't we start with an evaluation and see what we can find out. He's five, yes?" There was a long pause and Ken shifted just a bit closer to the door. He wondered what sorts of things the doctor was reading about him and what his mother might have written. 

"Well why don't we get him in here and we'll see what he has to say?" The doctor suggested. There was the sound of shuffling and Ken straightened in his chair, drawing in a nervous breath. The door opened and he looked up at his mother. 

"Darling can you come in here?" she said, worry showing on her face despite her tender smile. "The doctor would like to talk to you for a bit." He nodded, slipping off the chair and trudging through the door. He looked across the desk, his breath catching in his throat.

"This is Doctor Rodriguez, Ken," His mother said, stroking his hair. She always did that when she was uneasy. "He's going to ask you some questions and it's important that you answer them as best as you can, all right?" Ken didn't move, he stared at the doctor wide eyed.

"Hello, Ken," Dr. Rodriguez gave him a jovial smile, pulling out some child size chairs around a small table. "There's no need to be nervous, we're just going to play some games and talk about some things. It's my job to help kids sort out their problems and your mother and father thought I might be able to help you sort out yours."

"I'll be right outside the door if you need me, darling," his mother said, bending to kiss his cheek. He was aware of her leaving the room but he couldn't move, he was completely frozen.

"How do you feel about puzzles, Ken?" Rodriguez asked thoughtfully, looking through some of the boxes on his shelf. "Would you like to help me pick out something to play?"

"Jose," He gasped out, trembling. Dr. Rodriguez turned to look at him with a surprised expression. "Jose, it's you!"

"Ken?" he bolted across the room before the doctor could say more, grasping hold of his shirt in one small hand.

"You have to help me!" He insisted, fear and relief washing over him. "They don't understand, they don't believe me. They think I'm crazy but I'm not... you know I'm not!"

"Ken I didn't tell you my first name, where did you hear it?" Rodriguez asked curiously. 

"It's me!" Ken declared. "Jose it's me! It's Christine!" Jose Rodriguez' eyes grew to twice their normal size and an expression of panic washed over his features. He held his finger to his lips, kneeling on the floor in front of the boy.

"You remember Christine?" he asked in a whisper. Ken nodded, tears stinging his eyes. Jose stroked his cheek tenderly. "You weren't supposed to remember that, or me. Christine hardly remembered anything from her previous lives."

"But I do remember!" Ken declared, now almost hysterical. "I remember the time you missed your flight to that conference because you were up all night watching anime, and the time we got a flat tire in Chicago. And the tattoo in Palm Beach!"

"Ken, this is very very important," Jose declared, his expression horrified. "You can't ever mention my tattoo, not to anyone, ever."

"I remember other people too," Ken declared. "Aslyn von Voltaire, and Kurt von Karbelnikof, Fredrick Weller, the... the The Great Sage... Jose, I remember that other world, the world I came from. You have to help me, you have to help me find the forbidden box. Time is running out. I have to find it before she gets here." 

"She?" Jose asked in confusion.

"Susanna Julia von Wincott," Ken declared in frustration. "Our chosen champion. She can save our world but not unless I help her find the box. Is it here? Did Cristol bring it here? I have to find out! And you have to help me because they think I'm crazy and they're going to lock me away!"

"Julia," Jose murmured. He grasped the boy by the shoulders, steering him into a nearby chair. "Ken, I'm so sorry, but Julia's gone."

"You mean she's dead?" Ken squeaked out, a look of fear marring his tiny face. "Are you sure?"

"I befriended the guardian of her soul," Jose said gently. "She died about the same time as Christine."

"She's here?" Ken asked in awe. "Our champion is on earth?" 

"He'd be about your age now," Jose nodded. "Ken this is very important; You're not Christine."

"But I..."

"You have her memories but you're not her," Jose insisted gently. "You're your own person. You have the right to be your own person. It doesn't matter what you remember, what matters is you, right now."

"They're going to lock me up because I'm crazy," Ken choked on the words, huge tears spilling down his face.

"No one's going to lock you up, I promise," Jose soothed, gently drying his face with a tissue. "You don't have to be afraid, everything's going to be all right. I'll get in touch with Bob and find out how your champion is doing, and I'll tell your mother not to worry. You can come see me every week and I'll help you sort this out. But you can't keep insisting to everyone that your memories are real. They're not going to understand." The tiny boy stifled a sob casting his arms around the doctor's neck.

"It's going to be ok, Ken," Jose insisted.

"Are you sure?" he asked, hugging Jose tightly.

"Hey," the doctor chuckled, rubbing his back. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"Just that time in Vegas," Ken observed.

"Ken," Jose shook his head, wincing. "whatever you do, what happened in Vegas needs to stay in Vegas."

 


End file.
